PUBLISHED November 11th, 2015 04:00 pm | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 03:04 pm
Inspired by Darwinian evolution, Cirque du Soleil’s TOTEM is a piece that captures man evolving from amphibian through to flight. While this attempted storyline is laudable and there is a sense of connectivity between the different acts, Cirque is, after all, first and foremost a circus, so each act is best enjoyed on its own merits.
Opening the show was a group of acrobats dressed in amphibian suits, jumping and swinging from high bars, and cocking their heads like how their amphibian personas would naturally do. Choreography was paired marvellously with the aesthetically pleasing bird’s nest-like structure which mimicked an egg hatching, which also showed itself to be creatively built to accommodate the acrobatic stunts performed. Throughout the show, TOTEM represented itself as well-thought out production – set, lighting, and sound combining powerfully to enhance the feats performed on stage.
There were two types of performances that really impressed me. First, the jaw-dropping kind of stunt. Examples include the couple on the trapeze who make hanging onto each other (or parts of each other) look so easy, and the five unicyclists who balance on their cycles with bowls on their head while still managing to catch more bowls thrown at them (it looks better than it sounds – go see the show!).
Next, there are some scenes which speak to the theme so well that you can’t help but applaud the magic in the choreography. My favourite is the chemistry lab scene which portrays a mad scientist entering his own glass contraption, spinning around and juggling lighted balls, while turning back time to transform himself into a younger person.
That being said, TOTEM does suffer a bit from clownish acts – surfer dudes competing for the attention of a girl, an Italian tourist who interacts with the audience – nothing more than filler items that bear no relevance to the theme of evolution. Perhaps, it’s making the point that evolution hasn’t gotten us that far after all?
Nonetheless, if TOTEM is unabashed about its origins as a circus (and I’m sure it is), then audiences shouldn’t forget why we all love and want to go to circuses. If you want to be amazed, if you want to laugh out loud, if you want an entertaining night out in town, TOTEM is most definitely a trip you should make.
TOTEM runs till Sunday, 6 December 2015 at Under the Big Top, next to Marina Bay Sands. Ticket prices start at $98; get them here from SISTIC.